For the second straight year, St. John’s Lutheran School sixth grader Faith Stillwell has been crowned the Arkansas County Spelling Bee champion.

Stillwell defeated 12 other county spellers to win her second title.

"This time I practiced before the spelling bee with my mother," Stillwell said. "I am glad I did."

Stillwell, the daughter of Pam and Steve Stillwell, said she finished 32nd in a field of 75 counties in last year’s state spelling bee and has hopes to finish even higher this year in the state competition.

"The word Stillwell won off was predicament." Arkansas County Spelling Bee coordinator Julie Landrum said. "This was after she spelled the word anxiety."

Pronouncer Lynn Keller told the parents, teachers, friends and relatives in attendance that the 13 participants are already winners because they correctly spelled in their school spelling bee to get this far.

Chandler Saul, a fourth grader at Park Avenue Elementary School, was named runner-up.Rhett Bohanan finished third in the Arkansas County Spelling Bee.